Hello, hello! Please enjoy this photo of one of my favorite kinds of photos: nature juxtaposed with an urban environment. There’s something about nature + city that always sparks my imagination. Maybe it’s the contrast. Maybe it’s the longing for someplace truly wild. I took this photo in downtown Houston when I was attending the Texas Library Association Annual Conference (which, side note, is there anything better than a library conference? The list is short.), where I got to peruse a metric ton of books, here authors talk about books, meet authors, and just generally float around on fun literary vibes. My day job is as elementary school library aide (have I ever mentioned that?), and since the conference was local this year, the librarian I work with made sure I got a chance to attend. She’s the best!
On to what I’ve been reading…
Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochauser. This book is everywhere, and after reading it I can see why. I do love a good fairy tale reimagining, especially those that flesh out formerly black and white characters (usually villains). This is a Cinderella retelling, but it’s really the “wicked” stepmother’s story. It’s about survival, resilience, good men, terrible men, and what one is willing to sacrifice when choices are limited. The writing is beautiful and evocative and the story compelling and fast-pace. My only complaint is that the first half of the book felt a little too obvious and self-aware to me, but the plot kept me going and by the end I was fully invested.
The Name Game by Beth O’Leary was a delight from start to finish. It’s a rom-com set on a tiny British island with the requisite cast of quirky small-town characters, and an entertaining hook. The plot relies on a decent number of flashbacks, so if that’s not your jam, this book might not be for you (I, personally, love a good flashback, which is probably obvious considering my first novel is told half in flashbacks). As always, I love the depth and heart in O’Leary’s books. I didn’t want it to end.
Porcupines by Fran Fabriczki is a somewhat quiet, contemplative book about the things parents pass down to their children, about isolation, unintended consequences, and connection. I was invested in the characters, which was good because it’s definitely a story that’s more about character than plot.
A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeline L’Engle is the fourth book in the Time Quintet. I liked it better than Many Waters, but the first two books (A Wrinkle in Time and A Wind in the Door) are still the best two in my opinion. A Swiftly Tilting Planet is a journey through time, and like all of the books in this series highlights the importance of small things. I still love L’Engles’ imagery and creativity. What I didn’t love was the heavy passages of exposition, and the fact that there was more than one spot in the story where it would make sense to reference things that had happened in previous books (especially with Sandy and Dennis), but it’s like it never happened.
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. This book was like a breath of fresh air. C.S. Lewis is great at making complicated ideas more accessible, and illustrating deep and sometimes familiar concepts in a way that makes me think about them in a new way. Plus, it takes a lot of skill to write essays on theology with the kind of savage, dry wit that Lewis has. It’s worth noting that while in some ways Lewis is very open minded and progressive for his time, he is at the same time a product of his environment. This shows up mainly in some of his thoughts about women (particularly if they’re wives). That said, we’re never going to agree with everyone, and I can read those paragraphs with grace, because he’s not rude or ugly. And who knows…given enough time, it’s entirely possible he would have (and maybe did) change his way of thinking on some things. Ultimately, like I said, this was a really excellent book and C.S. Lewis is a fantastic writer.
Joe Country by Mick Herron is the first Slow Horses book I’ve read before the corresponding television season comes out, and it was definitely a different experience–mainly because I usually listen to these on audio, and I actually had to pay attention a lot more closely since I had no idea what was going on. It was an excellent installment of this creative yet also classic spy thriller series. I was reminded in this book that one of the things I both love and hate about Herron, is that the the stakes for his characters are real—no one is safe.
Nora Goes Off Script and It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan. I read my first two Annabel Monaghan rom-coms in the last few weeks, and for me it was a like but not love. Solid stories with depth and feel-good vibes, dimensional characters, and plenty of swoon. I can’t exactly put my finger on why I didn’t fall in love, but sometimes the spark isn’t there. But me and the books can still be friends, even if it isn’t a perfect match! I am looking forward to reading her newest book (and meeting her at a book signing event next month!).
A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab. This is the final book in the Shades of Magic trilogy, and Schwab absolutely stuck the landing on this one. It was so. Freaking. Satisfying. I won’t say much about the story since it’s the third book, but if you like magic, great world building, morally gray characters, and high stakes action, give this trilogy a try!
That’s what I’ve been reading lately, what about you?
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